By tamara
If you are headed off to college this fall, you’re probably already thinking about dorm room ideas and how you want to design your dorm room. Unfortunately, most college dormitories are known for their limited spaces and bland walls, so you’ll have to be pretty creative to make your room pop. This can get quite costly if you venture out to the regular retail stores or turn to those online shopping websites that cater to the college crowd. Luckily, the Internet is teeming with great ideas for making your space the place to be; you just need to know where to look and be willing to put in a little elbow grease. I get most of my inspiration from Pinterest, which is full of great ideas for making your dorm room rock. Here are just a few of the creative and affordable dorm room ideas you can use to decorate your room this fall without going broke.
BEDROOM
Here are affordable dorm room ideas for your bedroom:
DIY Headboard – there are countless ways you can dress up your boring bed with a cute, do-it-yourself headboard. Whether it’s a simple art canvas covered in fabric or a pretty bookshelf, adding height to the room can also make it feel more open. 
Curtains – you can add some warmth to your room or even put up some no-sew valances to soften your windows. By using bookshelves and curtains, you can also create more space and your own private room. No-Sew Pillows – if you get tired of your old pillows, simply purchase some pretty fabric and create these lovely, no-sew pillows to brighten up your space. Loft Bed – create additional storage space or even a sitting area by raising your bunk bed. Side Table – add some extra storage space by using a drawer from an old dresser or adding laundry baskets to a simple bookshelf. You can also add some color to your room by spray painting a trash can and turning it upside down. Lighting – poke small holes in a lampshade to create a cool cityscape or add some decorative touches. For an extra pop of sparkle, mingle mirrored squares with white lights and hang them over a curtain rod.
WALLS
Here are dorm room ideas for your walls:
Shopping Bag Art – you can spruce up your walls by taking your favorite shopping bags and making a mural or placing them into individual frames. 
Pizza Box Art – keep those empty pizza boxes you’ll collect at college and re-purpose them! When you get tired of them, pitch them in the recycling bin and create a new mural. DIY Dry Erase Board – staying organized in college is a must and this cheap and easy project allows you to add a little flair to your room, too. You can pick up free paint chips at any hardware store or Walmart. Monogram Art – personalize your space with this fun artwork. Just buy a cheap frame from a discount store or thrift shop, stick on letters and remove the back of the frame; simple, easy and elegant. Wall Decals – since you cannot paint the walls in your dorm room, try adding a bit of character and color with some fun, removable wall decals. Sconces – add a little green to your space by turning your old flip flops into plant sconces. Toilet Paper Roll Art – if you are really creative and have some time on our hands, there are a ton of great ideas for using toilet paper rolls to create wall art and other crafts.
STORAGE
Here are some dorm room ideas for storage organizers:
Bathroom Organizers – if your bathroom has limited space, hang plastic baskets from an extra shower rod to keep everything organized and separated. A cheap plate stand can also create more space in a limited area. Bookshelves – turn old pallets into decorative shelving or spice up boring bookcases with some decorative paper. Boxes and Bins – turn those empty shoe boxes into pretty organizers or add some fabric to old boxes to create functional storage bins. You can even spruce up those cheap plastic bins by adding some colorful paper to them. Old soda cartons can be repurposed to store soup cans and other food items. 
Jewelry & Accessories – try using silverware trays with some simple hooks to keep your jewelry organized. An old cheese grater, or some shower hooks and a towel rack, can also do the trick! If you have trouble keeping track of hair scrunchies or bracelets, just use a paper towel stand. Keep your scarves organized by adding shower rings to a wooden hanger. Shoe Organizer – keep flip flops neatly tucked away in letter organizers or create a shoe tower by stacking PVC pipes. Study Space – an easy way to keep paper clips and other supplies organized is to use a rotating spice rack. If power cords are a problem, keep them separated with file clips. Many of these items can be found at discount stores, thrift stores or local garage sales. Browse Craigslist often to see what people may be giving away for free or really cheap. I picked up my mini-fridge from there for only $10 and it worked perfectly. Just remember, everything you put into your room will have to be packed up and moved at the end of the year, so don’t go overboard!